Ron Davis in a comment in the Delano Station thread below brings up the point that the "Reading Tech Guys" saved four pieces of rail equipment (apparently RDG and LV two bay hoppers.) I'm not sure who Ron is referring to as the Reading Tech Guys, but I checked out the Reading Company Technical & Historical Society website and it shows only ONE Reading two bay hopper as part of their group (RDG #66418.) The question is, where are the OTHER THREE two bay hoppers if not part of the RCT&HS collection? Anybody know?

Thanks.

Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum/North Judson, Indiana)

midlandblb@cs.com

> Ron Davis in a comment in the Delano Station
> thread below brings up the point that the
> "Reading Tech Guys" saved four
> pieces of rail equipment (apparently RDG and
> LV two bay hoppers.) I'm not sure who Ron is
> referring to as the Reading Tech Guys, but I
> checked out the Reading Company Technical
> & Historical Society website and it
> shows only ONE Reading two bay hopper as
> part of their group (RDG #66418.) The
> question is, where are the OTHER THREE two
> bay hoppers if not part of the RCT&HS
> collection? Anybody know?

> Thanks.

> Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad
> Museum/North Judson, Indiana)

Steve Swartz: Can you please repeat your message as it is apparently one of the ones that did not go through.

Thanks.

Les

midlandblb@cs.com

> Ron Davis in a comment in the Delano Station
> thread below brings up the point that the
> "Reading Tech Guys" saved four
> pieces of rail equipment (apparently RDG and
> LV two bay hoppers.) I'm not sure who Ron is
> referring to as the Reading Tech Guys, but I
> checked out the Reading Company Technical
> & Historical Society website and it
> shows only ONE Reading two bay hopper as
> part of their group (RDG #66418.) The
> question is, where are the OTHER THREE two
> bay hoppers if not part of the RCT&HS
> collection? Anybody know?

Mystery solved! First, RCT&HS has acquired another two-bay hopper, this time one of the last-known RDG offset-side two bays, RDG class HTc, through a swap of an ex Amtrak ballast car with its last owner. Some years ago, when RCT&HS was buying cars from Conrail, included in the lot was a Lehigh Valley hopper that was converted into a sand car, and a DL&W ACF 1740 cu.ft. covered hopper, also a sand car. This same member also contacted the owners of the site where some LV hopper cars were,and bought and transported (by flatbed)three of them. They need to be made operational, and definitely need some paint, but they are definitely saved from the torch.

schwartzsj@juno.com

> Mystery solved! First, RCT&HS has
> acquired another two-bay hopper, this time
> one of the last-known RDG offset-side two
> bays, RDG class HTc, through a swap of an ex
> Amtrak ballast car with its last owner. Some
> years ago, when RCT&HS was buying cars
> from Conrail, included in the lot was a
> Lehigh Valley hopper that was converted into
> a sand car, and a DL&W ACF 1740 cu.ft.
> covered hopper, also a sand car. This same
> member also contacted the owners of the site
> where some LV hopper cars were,and bought
> and transported (by flatbed)three of them.
> They need to be made operational, and
> definitely need some paint, but they are
> definitely saved from the torch.

Steve: Thanks for the information. Do you know if the RCT&HS has plans to restore the three Lehigh Valley hopper cars?

Les


midlandblb@cs.com

> Steve: Thanks for the information. Do you
> know if the RCT&HS has plans to restore
> the three Lehigh Valley hopper cars?

> Les
I suspect that it will depend on what the owner has in mind. Who knows? Maybe a deal will be worked out when the RDG hoppers will be sandblasted and painted.

schwartzsj@juno.com